Hello folks this is the 103rd time that I have provided you with an update related to the "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online petition. Allow me now to speechify just a bit.
Yes that's a REAL photograph of me. This was not some recently-staged along-the-Ocklawaha photo op to promote someone's book for $$$ or to raise funds $$$ for one of those "not-for-profit" corporation-groups. This picture REALLY is from more than 28 years ago -- Paul Nosca was a handsome Old Soldier of age 38 at the time. And long before this fishing trip in the swamp on that day, the REAL mailing address for "Ocklawahaman" by early 1973 had been in the upper Ocklawaha River basin of Lake County, FL. Along came the beginning of 1978 and for the next 13 years my home of record was inside the Ocklawaha River-St. Johns River Valley of Putnam County, FL.
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REALLY, RODMAN DOES REMAIN A "LIGHTNING ROD" FOR THEM -- KIND OF REMINDS ME OF A REAL LIFE "FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER" NEEDING A RECHARGE FROM TIME TO TIME TO STAY ALIVE!
Could this be FOR-TRUE, REALLY? THEY MAY BE OUT THERE-- eagerly awaiting your "not-for-profit" $$$ donations supposedly for Ocklawaha River restoration. And it seems that they believe that there is some "boogeyman" or "evil empire" out there to sue with dead-end "expensive" litigation -- instead of them REALLY working with and aiding SJRWMD and FDEP to produce the scientific documentation that is needed before the required-for-restoration Environmental Resource Permit can be approved and issued. After all REALLY, apparently, that is the REAL reason -- NO PERMIT APPROVED -- why Ocklawaha River restoration as ordered by Governor Lawton Chiles (D) has not begun in earnest yet. A CONSENT DECREE (between Earthjustice [yes, Earthjustice] and the US EPA) and an American Heritage River designation (by President Clinton [D]) "protects" the more important (to FL and the USA) St. Johns River estuary from the "pollution" of the Ocklawaha River until the environmental scientists can prove otherwise.
OH and that Rodman Dam is still there intact 48 years after President Richard Nixon (R) -- whom I REALLY at the age of 16 campaigned for in 1968 -- HALTED all further construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal in 1971!
"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca's two initiatives address the actual reasons why the restoration process is not in progress. (1) The "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online SIGN-FOR-FREE $$$ petition https://www.change.org/p/st-johns-river-water-management-district-free-the-ocklawaha-river-by-the-breaching-of-rodman-dam currently with more than 2,490 supporters -- 5,000 to 10,000 would be much better -- and (2) The "Do You Favor the Breaching of Rodman Dam to Restore a Free-Flowing Ocklawaha River?" vote-for-free $$$ online poll https://www.poll-maker.com/poll790342x4Bd4496B-32 -- designed for public employees that aren't allowed to sign the petition publicly -- which now has more than 240 votes in favor of restoration. THESE 2 COMBINED CAMPAIGNS for public support of this issue represent more than 2,700 "VOTES" for breaching Rodman Dam and restoring the Ocklawaha River to free-and-swift-flowing again.
Now REALLY, 2,700 votes would not anywhere-even-near win an election in Putnam County, FL alone -- there are more than 47,000 registered voters just in that one county. And an established "not-for-profit" group from that area still comprised of only about 2,000 members -- after all these years -- is not capable of winning a REAL election in Putnam County either. REALLY, probably 2,000 folks regularly use the public recreation facilities at the Rodman Dam and tailrace and they are scared to death of losing it!
For REAL, I do understand that many folks want to be a member of a "social club" of like-minded Nature lovers for get-togethers, guided field trips, hobnobbing with ex-government officials (not in power anymore), and the like sort of enjoyable pursuits. So if that is your "true calling" REALLY, then by all means donate and pay your dues and be part of those "not-for-profit" groups of nice people.
But if you are REAL serious about seeing -- in your lifetime -- a free-and-swift-flowing again 56-mile real-Florida, By-God, "Source-to-the-Sea" mainstream Ocklawaha River-Silver River system then we need to support any SJRWMD science that seems to prove that Ocklawaha River restoration might actually benefit the St. Johns River estuary.
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REALLY, WHEN YOU JOIN with the "Ocklawahaman" to "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" by signing the online petition FOR-FREE $$$ it costs you NO $$$. "Ocklawahaman" has NO lawyers for you to payroll! YOU get to buy a backpack, BBQ dinner, canoe, or kayak with your own DOUGH and enjoy the remaining segments of the free-flowing Ocklawaha River and its superbly forested jungle-like corridor.
"Ocklawahaman" has for REAL canoed, explored, fished, hiked, and lawfully hunted the Florida outdoors since 1962 (and still does). UNLIKE ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE, more of my life's outdoor time -- fishing, exploring, and hunting -- has actually been spent in the Ocklawaha River basin (canoeing its waters and swamp-stomping or hammock-humping its jungle-like swamps and hammocks) than anywhere else. My Florida bass fishing began 54 years ago in 1965 and unlike most of the other restoration personalities, I REALLY have NO BASS-FISHING IMAGE PROBLEM. I want Rodman Dam breached to allow for the restoration to free-and-swift-flowing again of the 56-mile real-Florida, By-God, "Source-to-the-Sea" mainstream Ocklawaha River-Silver River system. And "Ocklawahaman" has actively advocated for Ocklawaha River restoration since 2006.
REAL IMPORTANT NOTE: "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca is a totally non-commercial and a NON-NOT-FOR-PROFIT, retired, private citizen and does not seek $$$ and does not accept any $$$ contributions for the administration and promotion of his individually-created petition! The State of Florida and the United States governments -- that provide me retirement benefits (for my past services to them) -- OWN almost all of the Ocklawaha River's water and its submerged and corridor lands and collect taxes from MOST all of us. Lets FOR-FREE $$$ encourage Florida and the U.S.A. to wisely follow the principals of ecology and FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM!
REAL actual experience in the Florida outdoors -- including the Ocklawaha River basin -- and the outdoors of our sister Southern states; and Florida government, history, politics, and the US military REALLY MATTERS in this Ocklawaha River restoration issue!
My preference is only REAL photo ops for me. Please no fake news.
Sincerely, "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca
Administrator, "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" online SIGN FOR-FREE $$$ petition.
DATA, ECOLOGY, FACTS, FISHING, HISTORY, HUMOR, HYDROLOGY, NEWS, OPINION, PADDLING, PHOTOS, VIEWS, & WILDLIFE of the Ocklawaha River, Florida & SO MUCH MORE -- "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" -- IT'S EASY TO JOIN & POST & IT'S FOR FREE $$$!
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